Queens Lie
by gen.meow
Summary: Elara Merandus is used to getting what she wants. [sometimes with added force] But when Coriane Jacos take everything from her, she wants revenge.
1. Chapter 1

I am Elara Merandus. Next Queen of Norta. Next Legacy. The only problem is, I have one barrier to becoming all of those things. _Coriane Jacos._ She is living _my_ life. I have to corrupt her. Twist her mind against her. Make her mind a cage she can never escape. I am a warrior in my own right. My only aid, my mind. I am a warrior disguised with jewels and satin to be desirable. Underneath my layers of silk and shimmer. I am a surgeon, a butcher of people. I can force you to kill your family, and force you to watch. I can make all your problems swallow you whole. I can be your _worst nightmare._

Invading minds are as easy as unlocking a door. People's thoughts are like a collage of their life, a colorful array of emotions. Joy, fear, depression, lust, anxiety you name it, I've seen it. People can never hide the truth from a whisper. They can deny it, but it can never be avoided. One truth I know is that Coriane Jacos has a secret. She is not the perfect person the whole kingdom adores. Porcelain can crack, no matter how beautiful. And I am the hammer to destroy it.


	2. Chapter 2

But, you need the strength to wield that hammer. I need an advantage to destroy the singer queen. A secret. A truth. _Anything._ Throwing open the doors of my closet, I sift through my most gorgeous of dresses. An pale blue gown from a designer in Piedmont, with sparkles that twinkle with each swish of the fabric. A storm gray with intricate embroidery from a red in the stilts, the beautiful stitches cascading down the dress. A lush satin purple, its style screaming regality. An innocent pale pink velvet ball gown. A mature silk that looks like running water when I twirl. I have everything. But in my circus, I am not the ringmaster. I'm the tiger in its cage. Bars created by someone who is out of reach. Until I am unleashed. _Everyone_ will fall to my murderous claws. "Father? Can we take a visit to the palace? I have been selected to interrogate the new Lakeland prisoner." A click of boots down a marble hallway indicate that my father was making his way to my door. A knowing glance flashed my way, and I knew that he figured out what I was planning. _He's not the idiot I thought he was._ I should have guessed. Like I said, no one can hide anything from a whisper. "Elara, don't make a fool out of House Merandus. We don't have time for your childish hopes. Finish the interrogation then leave. I'll get the train ready." And with that vote of confidence, he coldly turned and strode out of my room, lush blue cape trailing behind him. Slipping on a silk ice blue gown with a sweeping neckline, I apply some gloss to my lips and brush back my pin straight platinum locks. One day I will get my father back. He should've realized that raising us to be the epitome of power would have some drawbacks. I can make the old man become my slave. Everyone should realize that ripples can turn into waves of destruction.

•••

A plain view of worthless red huts turns to the elegance of the palace. Diamondglass windows reflect the delicate rays of the sun, white gold sloping into arches that display the ten feet tall opal double doors. Gold twists in ways that look like flames, worthy of the Calore family. Intricate carvings line the pathway to the castle and a beautiful marble railing curves around the steps. The double doors swing open and I realize, one day this all could be mine. The castle. The power. The adoration. Power is a dangerous game. Only the best player can prevail. Coriane Jacos will be defeated. I must reach the final level and eliminate her.


	3. Chapter 3

Ugh. The Samoses await my arrival, the magnetron and his snake of a wife. House Samos is the palace dogs, always at the royal heels waiting for a bone. Volo stands tall, chest puffed out and his gleaming metal chest plate deadly as ever. Larentia, his wife, stands with Volo, her midnight blue dress looking equally as deadly. Instead of blue fabric, murky dark blue snakes coil around her hourglass figure squeezing a little too tight to be comfortable. "Nice of you to show, Elara," purrs Larentia as a snake slithers down to circle her arm. "I hope you don't mind my snakes?" a thin smile stretches on her lips as she strokes the largest snake on the head. "No, not at all." what I hope is a smile paints across my face. Befriending the Samoses could be vital in claiming the crown. They don't realize that they are pawns in my game, ready to be swept off the board with one blink of the eye. While Volo may be a metal head, Larentia is cunning and quick. She is a dangerous opponent. Following the dark blue of their coordinated outfits, I look at the magnificence that is the palace. Doors made of silver are the entrance to each room, marble floors accented with gold, and diamond glass windows strewn with rubies to represent the fire of a Calore. Handsome chairs and tables with perplexing carvings are sitting regally with the rest of the furnishings. Lamps with a blue garnet shade. Pillows with the skin of tigers and leopards sit with plush couches. Norta is the royals oyster. Anything is theirs. A sharp turn down the darker hallway implies that we are getting closer to the interrogation room. Instead of silver doors, it's now steel and dark metals. Instead of luxurious marble, it has switched to hardy titanium, and iron. Volo stops near the largest door, Larentia standing close by. "You may enter!" comes from the inside when me and the Samos couple stand waiting. Posture straight. Chin up. Walking inside, there are millions of royal advisors sitting in the stands, my father included. The King and Queen sit on two enormous thrones, One black with glints of red and one yellow with streaks of gold running up the handles. Tiberias looks with anticipation, legs crossed and fingers strumming on his handle. Coriane looks nervous. Lack of sleep stand out with the big dark circles that even the silver paint can't hide. Her skin looks sallow and pale, and cheeks seemed to cave in even more. Her fingers are entwined with the Kings, and she's gripping him tightly. Even her honey brown hair is thinner than before. The prisoner stands before me, chains wrapped tightly around his middle, hands and feet. He's gagged with some metal contraption probably from Volo. A deep voice, probably a strong arm says, "Elara Merandus, whisper, you my interrogate the prisoner." Stepping toward the captive, he was a boy, no more than 14 or 15. "Defiant one, aren't you," I say as I take slow steps toward him, lips stretching into a smile. "No need to put up a fight with me. I will only strive to strip you clean of secrets further, little boy." I added some menace to the end of my sentence. Then, I devour his mind. [AN: do you want me to describe the interrogation next chapter, or skip to the part of where she confronts Coriane? Thanks!]


	4. Chapter 4

Stepping away from the boy, I take a look at all the reactions of the crowd. Some look content with the information now provided, some look bored, and some look horrified. The boy has stopped blubbering from choking on his tears and has pulled his knees to his chin, rocking back and forth with a blank expression in his eyes. I can't help but feel zero mercy or sympathy for this Lakelander. He deserved it. A sharp movement calls my attention, so I avert my eyes to the queen and king. Corianne has fled the room her hand over her mouth to keep from vomiting and tears streaming down her eyes. The King quickly follows, concern etched across his kindly features. I smile, happy to have made the queen sick. Then, it dawned on me. Perfect time to pounce. I strut from the room, leaving the broken boy behind me for the guards to take care of. A servant of the queen passes, red suit and all. She will know where the queen is. Tapping her on the shoulder I take a look at her face. She has dark ebony skin, large doe like eyes and raven colored cornrows.

"Excuse me, but can you direct me to where the queen is?" using a sweet tone and false smile, I try to mask my true intentions. The red cocks an eyebrow, evident that she isn't fooled by my charade.

"Who's asking?" she says, a hand on her hip and a skeptical expression.

"I would like to speak with her about her mental health, if you must know."

I have hit the jackpot. I guess it wasn't only me who noticed Coriannes dark circles.

"Of course, I apologize Lady Merandus. Her room is up the stairs and is the second door in that hallway." The red then scurries off. I make my way up the stairs, spotting a red servant guarding the second door. The weary looking king steps out of the door, his eyes bloodshot from what looks like crying. He then pulls open the door to the first room in the hallway and weakly slams it shut. Her condition obviously isn't stable. Words that my father has repeated many times now

stands out in my head. _The wounded are always the easiest prey._ I have found the crack in her porcelain. With one strike she will be broken into little shards _no one_ can fix. Passing the red guard I walk in and see a very tidy room. Pictures of Corianne, the king and Cal hang in frames, with beautiful red drapes that adorn the windows. I can hear Corianne getting ready to take a bath, so I quickly ransack her room. I look to her bedside table and see a little leather bound book, with the title, "Corinne's Notebook." I can't wait to read the treasures lurking in this little book. More secrets to corrupt her, and information to break her. I open the book, and start unfolding the dark hidden world that Corianne Jacos secretly lives in.


	5. Chapter 5

_Dear Journal,_

 _Today, Father tried to help me improve my singing. Sadly, like most lessons with him, it ended with him yelling at me, screaming that i'm not good enough. That I'm worthless. To even more fully rub the salt in my wound Jessamine came and talked my ear off about how I am never going to find a man. No one will love someone who is a reject. I can't help but wonder if they are telling the truth. I mean, I don't contribute anything to my family but heartache. I'm never good enough for anything. I'm not exceptionally pretty, I'm not exceptionally talented, I'm not exceptionally smart. I am never good enough. My mind is a black spiral, slowly meeting its downfall. I am a house of cards, with one blow I will fall apart, and will never be rebuilt._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Corianne_

Hmmmmm. Seems she was never happy to begin with. This is why she was so weak from the beginning. Cowering away from the cameras when she and Tibe got married. Always shaking during interviews. The darkest monsters aren't under your bed. They're in your head.

She was drowning, screaming for air. But no one saw her struggle.

 _Dear Journal,_

 _Today I met Elara Merandus for the first time. Her whole family has always scared me, with their icy cold glares and mysterious motives. But, what scared me the most was their special power. They can read minds. Elara alone can make my darkest thoughts turn to a living nightmare. She can expose me for who I am, and what I think. With people like that in the world, you are never safe. Privacy will never be an option. Your whole life can be exposed in one second, with the power of their mind. At this party, she sneaked her way into my mind, no matter how hard I tried to block her. Even from far away, she kept her cold grasp on me. No one is safe._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Corianne_

Flipping a few pages, I come to her most recent addition. This entry is more scrawled, or rushed. Tears stain the page, smudging the ink.

 _Dear Journal,_

 _Everyone keeps asking me if I am alright. The sad truth is, I haven't felt alright for a long time. Elara haunts me everyday. Even with the security of the palace, I don't feel safe. I know, somewhere she's watching me. Before, sleep wasn't sleep. It was escape. But now, she claws her way into my dreams. I have nowhere to hide. I am running myself ragged. In one of my panic attacks, I dug my nails into my skin so deep, I had to be sent to the paramedics. Wounds can be healed. It's easy to assess the problem, because you can see it with the naked eye. But, you can never heal a mind. You can't understand what someone is going through. Two wounds are never the same when it comes to the mind. I'm getting worse, and I know it. I wish the pain would stop. I am coming to my breaking point. Please save me._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Corianne_

I never needed to corrupt Corianne, or find her dark secret. She corrupted herself. She ripped herself apart, to the point where she can never be put back together. In a twisted way, I pity her. She was her own downfall. She built a fortress so high, and became a prisoner of her own mind. When the kingdom searches for the one who killed the beloved Corianne they will find no one. Putting the journal down, I make my way into the bathroom, ready to end Corianne's suffering.


	6. Chapter 6

_**TRIGGER WARNING: if suicide and depression is a topic that is sensitive for you, I suggest not reading this chapter. I don't go into much detail, but it's still a possibility. Read on your own consent. Thanks! The reason I added this to my story, is to connect it to Queens Song as much as possible. Hope you understand!**_

I then proceed to slip into her mind. Inside, it is filled with dark thoughts. Fear radiates off each picture in her mind. I can see that the old Corianne is trying to burst through her walls of fear and anxiety, but it has become to much. She is a prisoner, weakened by her own captivity. It was never me. I could never do this much harm to one's mind. I dont have the power to make someone scared of their own home, or to make an individual scared of themselves. In the end, you have to be your own hero. Everyone is already trying to save themselves. Its survival of the fittest in this world. I will prevail. Corianne is already growing weaker and weaker each day. Even if I never finished her off, she would of done it herself. But, that would never be as satisfactory.

"Hello Corianne," I purr, the voice barely a whisper in Coriannes mind. "I'm afraid privacy was never an option dear, for you are the queen. Your whole life is on display for the kingdom to admire. But how would the kingdom feel if they heard of the panic attacks? Or your lack of sleep? You will be exposed for all to see." Corianne starts sobbing in the bathroom. "Everyone will know who you truly are. A worthless queen, who isn't even loved by her own parents." Corianne covers her ears, as if trying to make it stop. Poor girl. You can't mute your mind. It just gets louder. "You have gone insane Corianne. No one will listen to a psycho queen. The crown that once adorned your head is now chains dragging you down. You never deserved to be queen you worthless little girl." Corianne started screaming and crying, thrashing her body like she was being electrified in the water. "Just let go Corianne. Let. Go." Corianne grabbed the crown next to her. This crown was gold and silver, the two metals entwining to make little sharp points on each end. Miniature diamonds twinkle on the crown with each reflection of light. She rotated the crown so that the sharp points are aimed directly at her neck. I then turn around and walk out, feeling no pity for the queen, but not looking back either. Disgusted yet very curious. The Queens mental state captivated me, for I have never seen anyone come to such a breaking point. I walk down the steps and see the red servant from before. "Lady Merandus! Is the Queen alright? We heard screaming coming from her room." I look back at the closed door of Corianne's room and sigh. "She locked herself in the bathroom. The screaming came from when she was yelling at me not to come in. You probably should go check on her." The servant nods then scurries off. "Fools." I mutter under my breath, then strut from the castle, leaving all the destruction behind me for others to clean up.


End file.
